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I hope you do a follow up interview with some of the Repubs after the next election. I know that you have experience working at the polls as do I, but neither of us have worked the back end. It is interesting that Richer has lost "credibility" in part because he is friendly with Fontes. How immature/childish to think that.

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Richer ran against Fontes in 2020 because of the problems that he saw with Fontes' administration of the office. I think part of their relationship now is that they are both under heavy fire from Republicans & their respect for the work that goes into the processing. That's my take, anyway.

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Jul 7, 2023Liked by Hank Stephenson

After reading today's section on the election, I wanted to write something that might add to the discussion or make people feel better about what's going on in AZ. But all I could come up with is "we're SO screwed". Sorry.

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Jul 7, 2023Liked by Hank Stephenson

Two things can be true:

There was no deliberate fraud or orchestrated attempt to cheat Trump in 2020 and Lake in 2022.

The many, many errors and screw ups in Pinal and Maricopa are very damaging to public confidence.

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founding
Jul 7, 2023Liked by Hank Stephenson

It's true that even persuadable people are rarely convinced by facts recited by a less-than-trusted messenger. And it's tough for anyone to give up firmly held beliefs, and admit that they have been fooled. For those who can be persuaded, there needs to be a deeper, more emotional connection. Usually that's done by connecting to common values. As for dealing with imagined conspiracies, I think of Dr, Hotez's reasoning for not debating RFK Jr about vaccines: he said debating such people is like "trying to nail jello to the wall." As soon as you rebut some comment, another one pops up - there is an inexhaustible supply of evidence-free ideas that can be conjured up, and you can't continually work to disprove them all.

I don't mean that the efforts to acquaint the public with our election processes is fruitless - it is important, particularly for persuadable and curious people. But there probably will continue to be a significant number of people who will never believe that the system isn't out to get them.

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Why doesnt the fact that a republican is right next to every democrat during the front AND the back end allay election denier’s fears? Are all those Republican poll workers corrupt? They would have to be for the system to be manipulated……

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“She’s a shameless, ruthless demagogue who wants power and will do whatever she has to do to get it,” a Trump adviser told The Daily Beast.

I'm going to laugh at this all day. The irony of that statement! Trump sycophants have such an incredibly fine line to walk - any single misstep can bring Trump's ire, but being too close brings its own misery.

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It’s so funny, my son’s Montessori school had a peace pole that the children danced around for world peace. Many grew up to be nice, thoughtful adults. Anyway, I’m curious (as an obsessive fraudit watcher) if Karen Fann, Ken Bennett and/or Randy Pullen had been questioned by the FBI? They, along with Logan oversaw and ran the lazy Susan affair.

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